1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to safety devices for ladders and, more particularly, to a portable safety device that removably mounts to a rung or step on a ladder and which includes a pair of adjustably positionable cushioned leg braces for stabilizing a person when standing on the ladder.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Many people who use ladders lean against the ladder for two reasons. First, the space of working area for someone using a ladder is very limited, so they may lean to the sides (i.e., to the left and/or right) in order to reach areas quicker than by getting down, moving the ladder, and climbing back up. Second, users tend to lean against the ladder for stability and to more easily keep their balance. This causes two problems. First, users who lean forward have their legs leaning against one of the steps of the ladder, which over a length of time can cause discomfort, particularly at the shins. Second, users who reach too far to either side of the ladder sometimes shift their center of gravity so far that it suddenly causes the ladder to tip to the side, throwing the user to the ground. This can cause serious injury or even death in certain scenarios.
In the past, others have proposed various padded devices for engaging a person's legs while leaning forward on a ladder. Some of these devices attach directly to the steps of the ladder, while others are adjustably positionable along the length of the vertical legs of the ladder. Examples of these devices are found in the U.S. Patents to Perrett, U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,438; Tucker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,890; and Gile et al., U.S. Pat. No. D372,989. The numerous devices proposed in the related art are generally effective for their intended purpose, which is to provide comfort against the user's legs when leaning forward on a ladder. Notwithstanding, the proposed devices in the related art fail to provide a means for stabilizing a person while standing on a ladder so that the person does not dangerously lean to either side when attempting to perform a particular task. In addition, the proposed devices in the related art fail to provide a combination of leg cushioning and stability with small size and portability.